Description
Book SynopsisOffers an account of the very public confrontation between President Harry S Truman and General Douglas MacArthur over the military's role in the conduct of foreign policy. This book explores partisan politics in Washington and the political power of military officers in an administration too weak to carry national policy on its own.
Trade ReviewPearlman's thoughtful, comprehensive survey of the intertwined relationship of "policy, politics, and personality" offers fresh insights into US military strategy, Truman's controversial Far Eastern policy, the politics of McCarthyism, and the internal and public debate over Truman's Korean War policy. Based on extensive research into accessible primary sources and the relevant secondary literature, this skillful . . . monograph is a welcome addition to the burgeoning literature on Truman's presidency and, as importantly, on the bitter political debate over Truman's limited war strategy in the conduct of the Korean War. . . . Recommended.March 2009
* Choice *
Michael Pearlman's timely study of the Truman-MacArthur controversy is a carefully researched and original work of scholarship that expertly illuminates the treacherous terrain of civil-military relations in the United States.Fall 2009
* Pacific Affairs *
. . . a well-researched, familiar story which provides historians with a comprehensive look into the swirl of controversy surrounding Truman's decision to remove MacArthur from command in Korea.October 2008
-- Thomas W. Zeiler * Journal of Military History *
. . . represents a useful addition to the literature on the Korean War.
* Journal of American History *
. . . this book is something of a rarity among academic publications these days: great man history, history from above. Truman and MacArthur is a reminder of just how compelling such history can be—especially in the hands of someone who knows what he is about. Michael Pearlman certainly fits the description. Summer 2009
* PARAMETERS : US Army Senior Prof Jrnl *
[T]he book is among the best civil military histories to come out in the last 10 years . . . . It deserves a wide, adult readership and has my highest recommendation for military and cilvilian professionals of all stripes. September-October 2009
* Military Review *
. . . a first-rate research effort by a distinguished historian, writing in a lively style . . . of considerable value and interest to students of the period.August 2008
* Naval War College Review *
. . . the author has researched his subject extensively, frequently displays a fine sense of irony, and has produced probably the best study of this subject to date. February 23, 2009
* The Weekly Standard *
Table of ContentsContents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
List of Abbreviations
1. Truman and MacArthur, before Korea
2. Defense Policy on the Eve of the Korean War
3. The War against North Korea: From Commitment to the Pusan Perimeter
4. The War against North Korea: From Inchon to the Yalu River
5. The War against China: Winter 1950 to Spring 1951
6. Truman Fires MacArthur
7. Public Verdict and Consequences: Military and Political, Home and Abroad
8. Ending the War without Truman or MacArthur
9. Truman and MacArthur: Summary, Conclusion, and Postscript
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
